Commercial fixed-wing aircraft, among other types of transport vessels, frequently include one or more doors for ingress and egress of passengers and crew. Because of the substantial size of many of these aircraft, the doors are well above the ground or other surface supporting the aircraft. In an emergency situation when mobile stairs or pedestrian bridges are unavailable to facilitate passengers exiting an aircraft, inflatable escape slides may be deployed to span distances between the aircraft doors and the supporting surfaces.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,567,977 to Fisher, whose contents are incorporated herein in their entirety by this reference, illustrates one such inflatable slide. As noted in the Fisher patent, the slides commonly are stored in deflated condition adjacent exit doors of aircraft. Other than, perhaps, during conduct of certain maintenance, the slides are not intended to be inflated unless needed to assist passengers in evacuating the aircraft. By contrast, should the slides be needed for this purpose, they are designed to inflate and deploy rapidly to minimize evacuation delay.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,125,235 to Fitzgerald, et al., whose contents also are incorporated herein in their entirety by reference, depicts an escape slide packed within or adjacent a door. A bustle usually covers the packed slide during normal operation of the aircraft. This covering is advantageous for multiple reasons, including that it protects the slide (and particularly its inflatable components) from punctures or wear caused by contact with, for example, passengers, luggage, food and trash carts, etc. Covering the slide also inhibits accidental or premature deployment. Finally, the bustle may perform aesthetic functions as part of the cabin of the aircraft.
At all times prior to installation in an aircraft, a slide also is susceptible to damage, unpacking, and (possibly) undesired deployment. Accordingly, slides typically include one or more safety pins or similar devices designed to prevent or reduce likelihood of these types of unintended occurrences pre-installation. Importantly, though, these safety pins must be removed as part of the installation process. Otherwise, a slide may be installed and covered by a bustle in a non-functional state. Indeed, such installation in a non-functional state has occurred previously aboard commercial aircraft and been documented by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).